*Official* England Tour of Sri Lanka 2018

[BoyBrumby]

Eh, Dhananjaya de Silva is basically just a batsman who rolls his arm over at this level - 7 wickets in 17 Tests. Three spinners and one quick is a perfectly legitimate balance on an absolute bunsen (assuming that's what they read this pitch as) IMO, especially when your third spinner is an overall much better bowler than who the second quick would be.

England's lineup is weird, but it's always going to be weird with the allrounders they've got I guess. I reckon Curran will be the one who doesn't end up getting much of a bowl (maybe even just one opening spell per new ball), so hopefully he makes it count with the bat. I'd have probably picked two more specialist batsmen than England ended up going with.

Strong-ish argument to be made our all rounders are more likely to score runs than the alleged specialists currently though, I'd say.

Agree it makes the balance look all over the place, but seems little point in playing (say) Denly over Curran, S because he's nominally a batsman.

Better judges than me think Sam will end up a batting all rounder in due course too.

Jennings actually looked very good from what I saw today.

Was about to splutter my indignation at the very suggestion, but his MO does look as if it's slightly more suited to Bunsens than English tracks (readers may want to insert their own "but he's not English" style quip here). Lateral movement isn't Keats's friend.

its almost like you don't have to bat like a ****ing idiot with lots of intent and york yourself to make test match runs.

Who'da thunk it, eh? Kudos to the debutant for grasping this seemingly obvious point in spite of his skipper's example though.

How did Burns look? I've read a lot about his somewhat idiosyncratic technique, but have never actually seen him bat.

 

[wpdavid]

Good score or not. Seen none of it.

Surrey can kiss goodbye to their chances of retaining title, all be in England side.

Yeah, it's quite bittersweet watching them do so well for the national side.
There must have been times when you've known that feeling. I can certainly remember Hoggard, Gough and Vaughan all being on England duty at the same time, maybe Craig White too. More recently Root, Ballance, Lyth and Bairstow maybe? I've probably forgotten someone.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah, it's quite bittersweet watching them do so well for the national side.
There must have been times when you've known that feeling. I can certainly remember Hoggard, Gough and Vaughan all being on England duty at the same time, maybe Craig White too. More recently Root, Ballance, Lyth and Bairstow maybe? I've probably forgotten someone.

Didn't they have all those + Rashid (who didn't play) on a terrible 2 test tour of the Windies that clashed with the start of the season?

 

[Gnske]

How did Burns look? I've read a lot about his somewhat idiosyncratic technique, but have never actually seen him bat.

It's almost Johnson-esque, it's that ridged and robotic looking, but with far more movements. He's a hard man Rory Burns.

 

[NUFAN]

We so close for Stokes-Foakes-Woakes but I bet it will never happen.

It would have been very cool if it happened immediately after Guy Fawkes Night.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Yeah, it's quite bittersweet watching them do so well for the national side.
There must have been times when you've known that feeling. I can certainly remember Hoggard, Gough and Vaughan all being on England duty at the same time, maybe Craig White too. More recently Root, Ballance, Lyth and Bairstow maybe? I've probably forgotten someone.

Yeah add in Plunkett and Rashid missing large chunks due to ODI stuff then signing Willey and hardly seeing him for the same and it all gets a bit much. The daft thing is you end up struggling against relegation despite having one of the strongest squads on paper as none of the good players are available.

 

[Howe_zat]

Chuffed for Ben Foakes who as people in the thread have noted is bringing us closer to the fabled triumvirate.

As a Surrey wicket-keeper batsman whose name ends in -oakes, he is also fulfilling almost all the current criteria for England selection so it's not surprising that he's been successful. If he can somehow find himself bowling right-arm fast medium and/or be a Curran his place in the side is guaranteed.

 

[ajdude]

can’t wait for anderson to come out and not give a **** about his wicket and foakes to miss out on a ton

 

[Borges]

Well played!

 

[Daemon]

Scenes

 

[Howe_zat]

Gosh, Ben Foakes is handsome.

SL giving up the single except when he's on 99 is funny

 

[Howe_zat]

Jarrod Kimber on Talksport. Awesome.

 

[BSM]

Anderson and Curran have already done a very decent job with the new ball

 

[91Jmay]

Curran and Jimmy have the ball talking.

 

[EmJo]

Anderson and Curran have already done a very decent job with the new ball

If we can't bat well then the bowlers need to do the job, but still can't let Sri Lanka get a lead.

 

[EmJo]

Curran and Jimmy have the ball talking.

Wish I had sky and a day off.

 

[EmJo]

Gosh, Ben Foakes is handsome.

SL giving up the single except when he's on 99 is funny

TOWIE lookalike?

Can only be miss communication.

 

[Groundking]

Great score so far to wake up too, Mathews is such a big wicket now. Nice to see all the lads getting involved and being economical, bodes well for the series, and special props to Foakes on getting his ton. JYB to come in at 3, or hell may aswell try opening with him if Jennings continues to stink up the place, for the Windies as a specialist bat?

 

[hazsa19]

I find Root’s captaincy painfully formulaic. Like they decided who would be bowling with what field at this stage regardless of the score.

 

[EmJo]

I find Root’s captaincy painfully formulaic. Like they decided who would be bowling with what field at this stage regardless of the score.

Well they'd go with the set field for the batsman and then change accordingly. England have taken themselves out of pressure and will strangle Sri Lanka making them play for runs (meaning bat a little more aggressively and open themselves up for mistakes.